Mass timber offers renewable resources, reduced carbon footprint, quicker construction, and a potentially less disruptive construction process for neighbors while also delivering a natural wood aesthetic. Modular construction techniques provide flexibility and adaptability in design and productivity. Building sustainable features include solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, water, and energy-saving features, construction material efficiencies, a bike storage and repair station, and electric vehicle charging.
Sustainable landscape elements include native plants, stormwater mitigation, an on-site garden, and water-saving features. The courtyard is positioned to create privacy for residents while also being tucked away from the surrounding buildings. The site is conveniently located near the Sutter Health-affiliated Palo Alto Medical Foundation and within safe walking distance to bus lines, the VTA, commercial, service, and recreational amenities along the El Camino corridor, including grocery stores, schools, parks, a community center and restaurants. MiLA offers more than housing – it delivers access, opportunity, and stability.
Mass Timber
The design reimagines the traditional concrete podium by using mass timber construction. Four levels of light wood framing sit atop a base of cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels supported by mass timber columns and beams. The result is a warm, biophilic environment that also reduces embodied carbon. Compared to concrete or steel, mass timber is lighter and more sustainable, allowing for smaller foundations and a lower overall environmental impact.
Modular Construction
Above the timber base, four levels of precision-built modular units will be constructed off-site and delivered ready to assemble, allowing for faster construction, less neighborhood disruption, and a significant reduction in material waste. This thoughtful combination of cutting-edge construction methods ensures a more efficient, environmentally conscious, and community-friendly build.
Community Engagement
EAH and KTGY hosted community forums and open houses, inviting Los Altos residents to participate in shaping the city’s first 100 percent affordable housing community. By engaging local residents, officials, and stakeholders throughout the design process, the project team built strong community support for a building that feels intentional, human-centered, and woven into the existing urban fabric.
Mass Timber
The design reimagines the traditional concrete podium by using mass timber construction. Four levels of light wood framing sit atop a base of cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels supported by mass timber columns and beams. The result is a warm, biophilic environment that also reduces embodied carbon. Compared to concrete or steel, mass timber is lighter and more sustainable, allowing for smaller foundations and a lower overall environmental impact.
Modular Construction
Above the timber base, four levels of precision-built modular units will be constructed off-site and delivered ready to assemble, allowing for faster construction, less neighborhood disruption, and a significant reduction in material waste. This thoughtful combination of cutting-edge construction methods ensures a more efficient, environmentally conscious, and community-friendly build.
Community Engagement
EAH and KTGY hosted community forums and open houses, inviting Los Altos residents to participate in shaping the city’s first 100 percent affordable housing community. By engaging local residents, officials, and stakeholders throughout the design process, the project team built strong community support for a building that feels intentional, human-centered, and woven into the existing urban fabric.
Use of CLT reduced the building’s embodied carbon by about 70 percent, equivalent to offsetting the annual energy use of nearly 44 homes.
Sustainability
Modular assembly eliminates waste production, typically an issue associated with conventional building construction. The building’s sustainability features include solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, water, and energy-saving features, construction material efficiencies, a bike storage and repair station, and electric vehicle charging. Sustainable landscape elements include native plants, storm-water mitigation, an on-site garden, and water-saving features.
Project Details
Facts
Unit Plan Sizes: 465-1,175 sq. ft.
Number of Units: 90 du
Site Area: 0.87 ac
Number of Stories: 5
Parking: 34 spaces (0.37 sp/du)
Construction Type: IIIA
Certification: Seeking LEED Gold
Project Team
- EAH Housing
- KTGY
- Jett Landscape Architecture + Design
- BKF
- Nibbi Brothers General Contractors
- DCI Engineers
- FARD Engineers
- Candela Engineering
- Axiom
- Prefab Logic
- PFL Engineering
- Guerdon
- SmartLam
- Kinsol
- Ryan Young
Awards
- Merit Award | Best-On-the-Boards Affordable Housing Community
